Theatre / Travelling Light Theatre Company
Travelling Light Theatre Company win national ‘Fantastic for Families’ award
The Barton Hill-based theatre company Travelling Light have won a national Family Arts Activity award for Igloo, their non-verbal play aimed at babies and children of 0-3 years.
Initially brought to the stage as a Christmas production at Bristol Old Vic in 2018, the show returned two years later with a national tour, and was brought to a series of early years and community settings in 2024, including Trinity Henleaze URC, Oldbury Court Children’s Centre and Wellspring Settlement Hall.
The show features a multi-racial family waiting excitedly for snowfall. Each performance on its recent tour was followed by a facilitated play session, and audiences were given a picture book and craft activities to take home.
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These resources were intended to help stimulate creativity as well as emotional development, confidence and speech and language.
Igloo Performances & Play Sessions, Travelling Light Theatre Company – photo: Alastair Brookes
“Over 1,200 children and their carers saw Igloo – for many it was their first experience of theatre” says Dienka Hines, Travelling Light’s chief executive. “We took our performances into communities at the request of local nurseries and children’s centres who told us that costs and travel mean that they cannot take children to the theatre.”
In a response that is typical of audience feedback, a parent reflects on how much the play and the book of Igloo have helped her toddler to express her emotions: “Since then, she has been able to say ‘Mummy I am very frustrated’ or ‘I am very sad’. She never used to talk about how she was feeling before”.
Organised by the Family Arts Campaign, the Fantastic for Families Awards celebrate excellence in family arts activities across the UK.
Travelling Light were also nominated in the Audience Impact and Innovation category for their provision of free creative activities and meals during school holidays, run in conjunction with local food charity St Luke’s Lunch.
Free Creative Holiday Activities & Meals at Travelling Light Theatre Company – photo: Camilla Adam
For more information about Travelling Light and to find out how you can get involved in its work, visit www.travellinglighttheatre.org.uk, or follow @tl_theatre.
Main photo: Alistair Brookes
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